I'm administrating a "public" computer, that is the computer at our local church. We use it to record the services in Ableton Live, show lyrics with Easy Worship and so on.. On it we have Moonscape Protection which is a software that takes a snapshot of the computer and allows me to restore it on prompt or schedule it.

Often sommeone needs to install something, so they need an administrator account. (Windows XP) The problem is that every other month someone, and I don't know who, manages to install/get a virus. This leads to full chaos and a unusable computer at several services, and when I take away their administrator privilegies, they complain about not being able to install stuff they need.

I have thought about a program which generates codes you can only use one time to gain administrator privilegies to install a program, so that if anyone needs to install anything they have to call me to get a one-time code to install what they need, if I think the program they intend to install is safe.

4 Answers
4

Set up a system where you can remote login to the machine. Give them an IM client with which to get in touch with you. If you are available at the time, remote login and install it for them. If you are not available, have them put the installer for the desired software in a preset folder and you'll get to it next time you check in.

For Windows XP you can use Windows SteadyState and its "Windows Disk Protection" so that users can install whatever they like, but in order for those changes to be permanent they need an extra password (I would see you as the only person who would have this password).

Judging by their guide you can specify users who can make permanent changes and users that cannot, I would suggest you create two users, one for yourself and one for everyone else and make yourself the only person able to make permanent changes. It also has a lot of features to prevent users from doing certain things.

Umm, I meant that if I can give them a temporary password to install, which only works one time. So, if they need admin rights, they call me and tell me what they need it for, and get the temporary password.
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Friend of KimJan 8 '12 at 15:01

So, we have two computers with a hardware switch when we need to switch between the virus-free computer and the "trouble computer". Hmm, yupp, that's another good solution too. :)
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Friend of KimJan 8 '12 at 15:03